


Close Your Eyes and Leave the World Outside

by Reality 2_0 (reality_2_0)



Category: Political RPF - US 21st c.
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-30
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-07-19 04:31:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7345015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reality_2_0/pseuds/Reality%202_0
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>set 1992; some TLC on the campaign trail</p>
            </blockquote>





	Close Your Eyes and Leave the World Outside

It had been a long day on the campaign trail for both of them, and while the bed had been pretty much all they had longed for, their appearance at the staff party to celebrate the latest primary victory had been obligatory but despite their level of exhaustion not a hardship. However, the headache he had felt lurking around since midday had decided to have a party of its own.

He was thus relieved to finally be alone in their hotel room with his wife who had been eyeing him questioningly since a few hours but had held her tongue, knowing that unless he complained, he would want to power through whatever was bothering him.

Now, with the staff gone and the headache getting worse by the minute, he collapsed onto the couch, covering his eyes with his arm.

He heard her pumps hit the carpet before his own shoes were pulled off and unceremoniously dropped next to the couch. A moment later, a touch to his shoulders encouraged him to momentarily lift his upper body to give her a chance to sit down. Once she had settled, she gently pulled his head down onto her lap, giving him time to find a comfortable position, and started running her fingers through his hair, instinctively knowing what was going on.

People tended to consider her cold, frigid and uncaring, because she wasn’t the typical housewife, the common political spouse who in public only had decorative purposes and served to soften her husband’s image. She could do that and occasionally did, but reducing her to that role would not only make him feel guilty about wasting her talents, it would frustrate her, and in the end, make both of them unhappy. No, if he had wanted a woman who prioritized beauty over brains, he would have stuck with a Southern belle instead of starting a conversation with the most headstrong and outspoken girl at law school. Although he hadn’t had any idea what exactly he had gotten himself into with this woman who called him up on his BS, outsmarted him and refused to give an inch in a debate, he hadn’t regretted his choice to wait her out. There was no denying that her repeated rejection of his proposal had bruised his ego at the time, but not only had he understood her feelings in a way – his feelings for her had overwhelmed, and at times, floored him – he couldn’t have held it against her if she hadn’t wanted to follow him to Arkansas which was far removed from the big, busy places her abilities called for. So he found joy and pride not only in the fact that she had eventually agreed to marry him but also in her thriving as a lawyer and on assisting him at improving the lives of the people within the borders of the state and also on a national level.

With a schedule that was equally or even more loaded than his own, he didn’t expect her to care selflessly for him, to drop any- and everything whenever he caught a cold. That didn’t mean he didn’t occasionally miss the caring attention when he felt like shit; it did mean that he didn’t hold it against her. It also meant that moments like this one were cherished despite the pain.

Silently, she caressed his forehead, massaged his temples. Slow motions, tender touches, no hurry, no annoyance.

He knew she was more tired, more exhausted than he was. She needed more sleep than he did in order to function, and contrary to him, crowds didn’t energize but rather drained her. By all means, she should have been dead on her feet, falling asleep standing up, not to mention sitting down. Yet, he didn’t hear a yawn, even a suppressed one, didn’t feel her fingers falter or stop for a second.

Under her ministrations, he lost his perception of time and his conscious connection to the world, dozing off quietly.

When he woke up again, it was still dark outside, the small lamp next to the bed the only illumination of the room. A quick look at his watch told him that he had been out for over an hour.

The hand that rested on his head indicated that its owner who also moonlighted as his pillow had fallen asleep as well in the meantime.

With the pain in his head having subsided, other body parts made themselves known. His back reminded him that the couch was anything but comfortable. If he wanted to get back on the campaign trail and be able to move, he had to relocate for the rest of the night.

Slowly, he got up, careful not to wake her.

Deciding not to bother with any pajamas, he shed some clothes, keeping the t-shirt and boxers. Once he was done and had turned down the bed, he picked up his wife who stirred for a moment, mumbled something indecipherable, then snuggled into his chest.

Apologizing softly for having to disturb her sleep, he sat her down on the edge of the bed, and with sluggish cooperation from her, undressed her. By the time he tugged the pantyhose off her feet, she was already sleeping again, though.

With a tender expression, he lifted her legs on the bed and placed a soft kiss on her forehead before he switched off the light and got into bed as well, pulling the covers over them and cuddling close to her.

A few moments later, he was out like a light again as well.

The End.


End file.
